Changes to Turkish Foreign Workers Law

If you are not a retiree or student moving to Turkey for the sun, sea and sand or education then you need to know about changes to Turkish laws regarding foreign workers.

The new law which took effect in August 2010 requires businesses to provide jobs for five Turkish citizens for every foreign worker they employ six months prior to the date of applying for a work permit.

In jobs that require technical mastery and special skills as well as in the entertainment, tourism, and animation sectors, having 10 local workers will be sufficient for companies that wish to employ more than two foreigners.

The new regulations also cover wages for foreign workers; it cannot be higher than 6.5 times the minimum wage for high-paying jobs such as pilots, engineers and architects or exceed 1.5 times the minimum wage for low-paying jobs such as housekeeping.

The new law does not apply to work permit applications from Turkish representatives of foreign airline companies and education institutions; it also does not cover foreign individuals employed in housekeeping.